


Aged Wine

by Lexen (bluedragoninamber)



Series: Winter Roses:  A Cottage for My Albus/Minerva Stories [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Aging, Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall are married, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Humor, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Mature Love, Pre-Canon, before Harry Potter arrives at Hogwarts, marriage relationship, reassurance, repost
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-11
Updated: 2019-08-11
Packaged: 2020-08-19 12:21:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 2,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20209654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluedragoninamber/pseuds/Lexen
Summary: Little moments from the marriage between Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please Read: This story is mine. I am the original and only author. It was first posted on FFN more than five years ago. I don’t remember exactly when. I took all my stories down off the internet and left the HP fandom due to personal reasons. I am now returning to the fandom and reposting some of my old stories. When I posted these stories on FFN, my penname was Lexen (and sometimes Hope4astalemate and bluedragoninamber) though I usually went by Lex. To repeat, this story is mine. Please don’t claim I have stolen it from someone else. Also, please don’t ask me to repost a particular story. I will be reposting only those stories which I choose to repost, and I will only be reposting them here.

** Disclaimer ** **: I don’t own it, and I am making no money off of it. **

** AN ** **: This drabble collection takes place a year or two before Harry Potter arrives at Hogwarts. It is AU in that Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall are married. These drabbles are a collection of romantic and humorous moments in their marriage. The prompt for this drabble was the color blood red.**

“Albus, I am not wearing that!” She eyed the blood red dress with shock and disgust.

Her husband’s eyes lost their twinkle. “Why ever not? I think you’d look gorgeous in red. Do you remember that first ball after you joined the staff? Half the student body nearly fainted when they saw how beautiful you were!”

Minerva blushed. “Albus, that was ages ago. I’m old now, and my hair is grey. In a dress that brilliant, I’ll look like a washed-out old hag.”

Albus frowned, reaching for his wand. “I am going to have words and possibly hexes with that talking mirror of yours. How dare it even suggest that you aren’t still Morgana’s rival when it comes to beauty!”

Minerva smiled, gently prying his wand from his hand. “It’s not the mirror’s fault, Albus, but it’s nice to know that you still find me appealing even though I’m old and grey.”

Albus slipped his arm around her waist and drew her close.

“I will never stop believing that you are the most beautiful woman in the world.”

Her wrinkles, arthritis, and grey hair always seemed to disappear when Albus kissed her.


	2. Chapter 2

** Disclaimer ** **: I don’t own it, and I am making no money off of it. **

** AN ** **: The prompt for this drabble was the color pumpkin orange.**

“Albus, is there any particular reason that you are wearing robes that color?” Minerva took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes to make sure that she was seeing them correctly. Yes, they were definitely the exact same shade of orange as a pumpkin.

Albus smiled sweetly. “Do you like them? They are new. When I went to Madam Malkin’s today, she told me that they came in her last shipment form Paris and that she had been saving them especially for me. She said that she knew you would think I was so handsome wearing them.”

Minerva massaged her temples for a moment. She’d had sharp words with Madam Malkin a week ago when she had discovered that the woman had not recorded her order correctly. Clearly, Madam Malkin had been more miffed with her than she’d realized, and Albus’s new pumpkin orange robes were her revenge on Minerva.

“They are certainly…um…in line with the season,” she managed to say with a smile. 

Albus grinned. “That was exactly my thought. It is October after all. That means Halloween!”

Minerva sighed. She loved the man, but sometimes his childish glee was a little much to take.

“By the way, she sent new robes for you too. She didn’t even charge me for them. She said she owed you for last time whatever that meant.” He pulled them out of the wardrobe.

She looked and saw pumpkin orange dress robes. Minerva groaned.

“Aren’t they lovely?” Albus asked, oblivious to the horror on his wife’s face. “Now we can match!”

Minerva resolved to never make Madam Malkin angry again even as she decided that Mrs. Norris was in desperate need of a new pumpkin orange scratching post. 


	3. Chapter 3

** Disclaimer ** **: I don’t own it, and I am making no money off of it. **

** AN ** **: The prompt for this drabble was the color wicked witch green.**

“No, Albus. No self-respecting cat would wear this dreadful thing.” Minerva held the wicked witch green collar as though it was one of the more unpleasant ingredients in one of Severus’s potions.

Albus’s twinkling eyes dimmed. “But Tabby, it would be just perfect for you! It would look lovely with your silver cat form.”

Minerva frowned. “I am no one’s pet, Albus. I certainly have no need to be collared like someone’s pet. Even if I did, I wouldn’t dream of wearing a collar as hideous as that one.”

Suddenly, Minerva smiled. “However, I’m sure that Mrs. Norris would be delighted with it.”

Albus groaned, wondering what argument his Tabby had won with Mrs. Norris this time.


	4. Chapter 4

** Disclaimer ** **: I don’t own it, and I am making no money off of it. **

** AN ** **: The prompt for this drabble was the color black. **

Minerva sat at her dressing table as she brushed out her long hair. She sighed ruefully as she examined the strands in the mirror. Her hair was well and truly grey now. There was no black left. Sometime when she wasn’t looking, she had grown old. 

Albus watched her for a moment. She had yet to realize he was standing there so he could look his fill, admiring the way her hair fell down over her shoulder. When she sighed, he came up behind her and took the brush from her hand.

“You worry too much about your hair, Min.” With the ease of long practice, he began to brush it, carefully untangling the strands that fell like silk over his fingers.

“It’s grey,” Minerva said with a grimace. “It used to be black. Now it’s grey.”

Albus shook his head. “It’s silver, Tabby. It’s silver like the moonlight.” He set down the brush and took her head in his hands, turning her to face him. “You are my moonlight.”

When Albus talked like that, Minerva promptly forgot about lamenting the loss of her black hair.


	5. Chapter 5

** Disclaimer ** **: I don’t own it, and I am making no money off of it. **

** AN ** **: The prompt for this drabble was the color dark purple.**

“That’s a beautiful scarf,” Albus said, looking down at the dark purple silk scarf in Minerva’s hands. “Is it new?”

Minerva smiled, but her smile was bittersweet. “No, Albus, it was my mother’s scarf. I brought it back in that box of her things that my brother gave me to go though.” She ran the silk through her fingers. “She loved this scarf. She wore it so much.” Minerva chuckled. “I have my father’s green eyes, but my mother’s eyes were blue. My father always said that this scarf made her eyes look even bluer, like sapphires.”

Albus smiled back and looked down at the scarf. “Why don’t you wear it?”

Minerva blushed. “I couldn’t. My eyes are green. Besides, I don’t wear scarves.”

Albus looked at her thoughtfully. “I think it would make your green eyes look even greener, like emeralds.”

Minerva blinked quickly, fighting back sudden tears as she remembered her parents. Mutely, she gave Albus the scarf. With great care, he draped it around her neck, fastening it with the Scottish thistle brooch that he’d gotten her for Valentine’s Day.

The dark purple suited her surprisingly well, but it was no match for the radiant smile on Albus’s face.


	6. Chapter 6

** Disclaimer ** **: I don’t own it, and I am making no money off of it. **

** AN ** **: The prompt for this drabble was the object, jack-o’-lantern.**

“Albus, I really don’t think that jack-o’-lanterns are supposed to be that color,” Minerva said, valiantly restraining herself from breaking down in very inappropriate giggles. 

Albus’s smile fell, and his eyes lost their twinkle. Minerva sighed. She was a sucker for Albus’s pout, and it never failed to make her regret whatever she had said to upset her sensitive (and occasionally barmy) husband.

“But orange is such a typical color for them, Min! Surely, they deserve some special attention since they are the guests of honor at the Halloween feast.” He straightened one of the jack-o’-lanterns in the display. “I think they look quite striking.”

Minerva thought quickly. “Albus, why don’t you try a different color instead?”

Severus cornered her during the feast. “I suppose you let Albus get away with those green-striped jack-o’-lanterns?” Severus sneered.

“Bite your tongue!” Minerva’s exasperation got the better of her. “Trust me, Severus; this was the lesser of two evils. They could have been Valentine’s Day pink.”

Severus said nothing more.


	7. Chapter 7

** Disclaimer ** **: I don’t own it, and I am making no money off of it. **

** AN ** **: The prompt for this drabble was the object, cauldron.**

“Albus, are you sure that Severus is okay with you using his cauldron? You know how testy he can be about anything he needs for his potions.” Minerva looked doubtfully at the cauldron that Albus was filling full of conjured daisies. He was convinced that the potions classroom needed freshening up, but she wasn’t sure how well Severus was going to react to a cauldron full of daisies.

Albus smiled. “Nonsense, Min! I’m sure Severus will be thrilled. It is so terribly depressing down here, and daisies make everyone smile.”

Suddenly, an outraged shout shattered the quiet. “What is the meaning of this?”

Minerva had never been a foolish woman. She looked at the expression on Severus’s face and backed slowly out of the room.

“Sorry, Albus,” she said with a half-hearted smile. “You’re on your own this time.”

She left Albus gazing back at her forlornly as Severus advanced on him. The next time she saw her husband, his hair and beard were Slytherin green.

Minerva had the good sense not to say a word.


	8. Chapter 8

** Disclaimer ** **: I don’t own it, and I am making no money off of it. **

** AN ** **: The prompt for this drabble was the object, coffin.**

Minerva did not want to know why they were in this particular shop. However, she did know, and her stomach had been tied in knots ever since they’d entered. Even the lightest wizard or witch would eventually have to make their way to Knockturn Alley once in their life.

Final Rest was the only store in all of the magical UK that sold coffins.

As she watched Albus examine the many varieties of coffins for sale, she did her best to forget why her husband would ever need such a thing.

Finally, Albus selected one. After arranging for payment with the shopkeeper, he turned to find Minerva perilously close to crying.

For a moment, Albus’s blue eyes shone with answering unshed tears. 

“Now, Min, you know that we must be prepared. And remember, this coffin is merely a container for my corporeal shell.” He took her trembling hands in his. “My soul will already have passed through the Veil where I will wait for you to join me so that we can begin our next great adventure.”

Words were not enough to calm her, so Albus held her head and kissed her softly, a bittersweet kiss that the shopkeeper tactfully ignored.

Light or dark, some experiences were common ground.


	9. Chapter 9

** Disclaimer ** **: I don’t own it, and I am making no money off of it. **

** AN ** **: The prompt for this drabble was the object, mask.**

“No. Absolutely not.” Minerva eyed the mask with disdain. “I will not be obliged to wear a costume of any kind, even by you. You are requiring none of the other professors to come to the ball in costume. I consider a mask to be a costume, and I will not be made a laughingstock before my colleagues and the entire school.”

“But Tabby,” Albus pouted, “You are my deputy. I will be in costume, and I need your support in this.”

Minerva glared at him. “I am also your wife. Do you really want to be sleeping on the couch tonight?”

Albus sighed. “Is the mask really so bad?”

Minerva’s disgusted face made her opinion clear. “Albus, that mask bears absolutely no resemblance to a cat!”


	10. Chapter 10

** Disclaimer ** **: I don’t own it, and I am making no money off of it. **

** AN ** **: The prompt for this drabble was the object, cloak.**

“It’s gorgeous, Albus! Where in Merlin’s name did you find it?” Minerva twirled around in front of him like a schoolgirl as her new cloak billowed out around her. It was Gryffindor red with a gold clasp in the shape of a lion and was lined with Minerva’s clan tartan.

Albus smiled. “I had it special ordered, Tabby. I knew you needed a new formal cloak, and I’ll have nothing but the best for my wife.”

Minerva blushed. “You do have a way with words, Albus.” She paused, looking a bit uncertain as she gazed into the mirror. “You don’t think it’s too much, do you? I always wear black. Perhaps I’m too old.”

Albus shushed her with a finger to her lips. “Minerva, there is no reason to hide your fiery spirit beneath solemn colors all the time. You look ravishing in it, and I cannot wait to take you out for our anniversary tonight.”

“Are you sure?” she said softly. Minerva’s need for his reassurance had surprised him at first, but over the years, he had come to see it as one of her most appealing attributes. He never tired of telling her how much he loved her, every part of her and all of her.

“You are my flame, Min. I will never waste a chance to tell the world that.”

The cloak was beautiful, but his words and the look in his eyes meant more to her than the cloak ever could.


End file.
